Support for picture-frames.



J. L. ELSASS & W. F. PROB'SI.

SUPPORT FOR PICTURE FRAMES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 23. 1912.

Patented'Sept. 5,1916.

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JOHN LOUIE, ELSASS AND WILLIAM F. PROBST, OF CHILLICOTHE, OHIO.

SUPPORT FOR PICTURE-FRAMES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5 1916.

Application filed November 23, 1912. Serial No. 733,133.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN L. ELsAss and Our invention relates to supports for pic-' ture frames and is particularly directed to the obviation of the necessity for the use of long and easily tangled wires which must generally be displayed and are unsightly in efiect. WVithout necessitating the abolition of wires, we provide a supporting medium for attachment to a wall or to a picture molding carried thereon, which supporting medium is of neat appearance and is preferably used in conjunction with a frame wire too short to be displayed above the frame when in use.

Our invention contemplates the provision 1n Flgs. 3 and 1, the hook for attachment to of a securing element which may be in the nature of a hook for attachment to a molding strip or which may be a member adapted for mounting upon a nail in the wall. Depending from this securing element, we desirably provide a rod which is so extended in relation to the securing element that the said rod will remain in juxtaposition to the wall when weight is applied thereto. Mounted upon the rod is a hook member which is adjustable as will be explained.

Our invention may be described best in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved device in application to a molding strip and supporting a frame. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of our improved device in use. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a detail showing a modified form of securing element. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 3, looking from the left of this figure. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a detail showing the supporting hook element of our improvement. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings, our improvement is shown as comprising a securing element 1 of hook form and of a curvature designed to fit the normal molding strip. This securing element is formed from sheet metal and at its lower end. is desirably bent, as at 2, to

embrace and be rigidly secured to a depending rod 3 which may vary as to length to suit different conditions of use.

The depending rod 3 is preferably of circu-lar cross-section and is intended for the reception of one or more adjustable elements which are of a very simple construction but which are peculiarly effective to facilitate the hanging of a picture frame in an even and centered position. These elements comprise a sheet metal member 11 bent to U- shape and having the legs 12 and 13 of such U-shape body portion provided with alined bores. Carried in the bore of the leg 12 is a sleeve 14: with a transverse bore 15 threaded for the reception of a set screw 16 adapted to bear against the rod 3 for maintenance of the supporting member in any adjusted position along the rod 3. The. leg 13 is extended and bent to form an integral hook 17 for supporing a picture frame wire.

In the modification of our invention shown a molding strip is replaced by a disk 9 hav ing its center stamped into the form of a hollow cone with an aperture 10 at the apex of such cone. This aperture is for the reception of a nail presumably driven into the wall upon which the frame is to be hung. The hollow conical formation of this disk affords a finder for the nail upon which it is to be hung, it being therefore apparent that the base of the cone is the wall side of the disk.

In both of the forms of our invention disclosed, it will be noted that the depending rod 3 depends in a plane in the rear of the forward face of the securing element and the relative direction of extension of this rod is predetermined so that it will have a tendency to lie in close to the wall. This tendency will be such that the normal downward pull of the frame will not sufiice to overcome it.

In the use of our invention, the securing element will be placed in position, either upon the molding strip or upon a nail. The depending rod will then lie naturally in comparative closeness to the wall. If it is desired to hang only one picture frame, the sleeve 14 may be properly adjusted and the wire upon the frame shortened so that it will not show above the frame. The wire-is then placed upon the hook 17. The frame will then hang naturally without the appearance of unsightly wires. Furthermore, the te111- porary removal of the frame will not result in tangling of the wire such as frequently results from the modes of hanging frames hitherto customary. It Will be apparent that the number of frames which may be hung is only dependent upon the length of the rod and the length of the slidable members and vertical rows of frames may be attained with slight difficulty.

Another feature of no small importance in my improvement resides in the facility with which a frame may be initially placed upon the hook on the rod and the securing element placed in position either upon the molding strip or the nail. This generally renders unnecessary the mounting of step- ,ladders and the like, since the average room has a molding at such a height as may be readily reached with the length of rod normally used. It will also be apparent that the flat back of the supporting element or member and its relation to the Wall as Well as the hook 17 tends to facilitate initial centering of the supporting member which is of course rotatable.

It will appear that the metal member 11 affords a rear surface which is in the nature of a plane parallel with the hook which is designed to retain the wire of the picture frame. This member 11, being mounted upon a cylindrical rod, is adjustable rotatably and affords a simple means for centering the picture frame. The manner of accomplishing this is rendered simple by the 0011- tiguity of the depending rod to the wall and it Will be apparent that the member 11 when Once set in proper position Will rest solidly and firmly against the wall and will insure against wabbling of the picture frame.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is:

A picture frame hanger comprising a rod, a supporting element at its upper end, and a Wire retaining hook member comprising a lower leg, a set screw element carried on the lower end of said hook member, an upper leg, a vertical hook formed integrally on said upper leg, and a body portion connecting said legs with a fiat surface parallel with the hook on said upper leg.

In testimony whereof we affiX our signatures in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN LOUIS ELSASS. WILLIAM F. PROBST.

Witnesses:

H. G. HOWARD, CHARLES MUssE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for live cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G. 

